Hi and thanks to all the talented jewelers who contribute their knowledge to this forum! I am a " hobbyist" jeweler with a lot of professional training, and one of the things I enjoy making most is complex art nouveau style earrings and necklaces w/ handmade chain and mechanisms. I am embarassed to say on my earrings ( which sell instantly) I have only used classic earwires.
I made the realization I don’t actually know much about more complex earring mechanisms ( I suspect it is a guy thing, I never wear earrings myself!) On my stuff I want everything individually handmade, so I’m hoping to see if anyone can steer me to sources for bench processes for handmaking omega clips and other earring mechanisms…Thanks in advance!
Hello,
Funny you should ask!..I just watched a youtube video a few days ago on how to build a lever back clip earring. It took me awhile to remember which of my “subscribes” it was under…it was on Scaffoal channel.
perhaps this will get you started…similar concept…
Also, just today I was watching videos in “Ganoksin/learning center/ jewelry techniques/ fabrication” (about 600 videos there!) and I noticed that someone called Giacomo has posted many great build videos…I watched quite a few…one was “coral and anglefish”
anyway, then, while clicking thru myyoutube “subscribe” list, looking for the clip earring video to post for you, I noticed that I subscribe to a channel called Giacomo I…and that person uses a very similar thick wire mesh on his soldering board…so I was wondering if they are the same person…just as an aside…
…it can be a small world sometimes!
Julie
Hi again,
Here is a photo of an omega clip mechanism, sold by Cooksongold.com
…?..it looks like in the pictured position, the clip rests, tensioned (pinched) in half round grooves?, and then when it flips down, the clip slips into the grooves of the triangular opening…?
Interesting! Thank you for posting your inquiry!
then, I found this great website (check it out) and photo of the clip in the flipped down position
Julie
James,
Check out Tim McCreight’s book, Complete Metalsmith. Lots of interesting mechanisms, including omega clips.
Alec
@wldlzrd1 there is only one Giacomo, and he is a member here.
I wonder if the perforated ceramic soldering board works on the same principal as his heavy wire grate?
~
The Omega clip is more comfortable than the old earclips that hurt after wearing for awhile. But how is that pressure controlled on the Omega clip? Furthermore, does the pressure need to be tweaked for specific customers?
@Alec in McCreight’s book, are you referring to the Tension Spring Catch which is on the Spring Clasps page in the Mechanisms section?
Here’s a thread about them: 18K omega clips
1 Like
I am a fan of the simple. And simple doesn’t mean cheap or poorly made. I have made my own French wire and kidney wire earring wires for 25 years. Mostly because When I applied to juried shows I wanted to be able to say the bulk of my products were entirely made by me.
Attached is a photo of a wire hook that is really simple to make and very effective. The tail is very long but my feeling is you can cut them shorter but never longer. The longer tail helps to balance longer earrings as well.
I am not a fan of toggles for necklace or bracelet catches. Maybe because I have never made what I would call a successful toggle. But I would suggest The Complete Metalsmith may have a few ideas.
Experiment.
Don Meixner
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROIDOn Mar 5, 2017 3:33 PM, James Sheahan <orchid@ganoksin.com> wrote:
artjeweler
March 5
Hi and thanks to all the talented jewelers who contribute their knowledge to this forum! I am a " hobbyist" jeweler with a lot of professional training, and one of the things I enjoy making most is complex art nouveau style earrings and necklaces w/ handmade chain and mechanisms. I am embarassed to say on my earrings ( which sell instantly) I have only used classic earwires.
I made the realization I don’t actually know much about more complex earring mechanisms ( I suspect it is a guy thing, I never wear earrings myself!) On my stuff I want everything individually handmade, so I’m hoping to see if anyone can steer me to sources for bench processes for handmaking omega clips and other earring mechanisms…Thanks in advance!
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Hi @Betty2,
It’s the Omega Clip on the Earring Findings page. (In my edition, that’s page 251.)
In Tim’s version, the pressure is controlled by the transverse channel cut into the two supports. The omega “spring” snaps into place in that channel. The distance from the base of the supports that the transverse cut is made determines the space for the ear lobe. This version doesn’t apply pressure to the lobe like a clip-on earring, rather the omega spring simply insures that the post won’t slip forward out of the ear lobe.
Other designs for an omega clip that are more like the traditional clip-on style with a split leaf spring would apply pressure to the ear lobe.
Alec
Hi Betty,
regarding the heavy wire mesh…I was wondering about that as well…It seems that many of the videos I watch on youtube (searching “goldsmith”, or “goldsmithing”, or “goldsmithing fabrication”, etc…and clicking around from there, and subscribing to good channels) show videos from “old school” European goldsmiths…and a few seem to use the heavy metal mesh, or a spiral coil of steel strip, to hold/ position items when soldering…
I was wondering if, in addition to holding/ positioning the item, and acting as a soldering “wig” to raise the item off the board to allow heating from below, if it also acts as an intentional heat sink to help moderate heating on the item while soldering…just wondered about that too…
…since the board reflects heat back upward as well…
Julie
Oh my goodness, I just realized that there is a bigger, better version of Tim Mcreight’s book, “The Complete Metalsmith”…
my paper back spiral version only has 192 pages…and Alec refers to and earring findings section on page 251!
I must procure this professional edition which has 312 pages!
Complete Metalsmith: Professional Edition Spiral-bound – February 1, 2005
by Tim McCreight (Author)
Spiral-bound: 312 pages
The Complete Metalsmith became a classic soon after it was first published in 1982. A second edition (blue cover) raised the bar by adding 50 more pages and using a larger format. To mark the millenium, McCreight revised it again, this time doubling the number of pages, adding color and using an innovative concealed spiral binding. This information-packed technique source book is on every professional metalworker’s must-have list. With over 2500 drawings, the Complete Metalsmith provide a wealth of information on materials, tools, shaping, surfaces, joining, color, finishing, casting, stonesetting, chains, findings and mechanisms. Also included is one of the largest collections of charts and tables for metalsmiths. You’ll wonder how you got along without it!
Also, as an aside, regarding mechanisms…
this book is one of my all time favorites…
many exploded view illustrations for how things are constructed
Julie
Hi Betty,
Thank you, that was an excellent link you referenced!
Julie
I have lost track of how many copies of Tim’s book I have bought and given away to newbies. It’s a classic every one should read. I also love James Binnion’s metals book too. Every shop should have one.
Jo Haemer
www.timothywgreen.com
Hello Betty,
I think I can safely assume that they are both by the same Giacomo…
the video project “Coral and springtime” by Giacomo that is featured in the Ganoksin Learning Center, is the same project as the one featured on the Youtube channel called “Giacomo I”
mystery solved!
Giacomo is so generous to share and video his work!
Here is the link to the Ganoksin video:
And here is the link to the YouTube video:
And I found his blog Art and Heart, which also has videos of his works…here is the Link:
Julie
@DonMeixner I have made those long tailed hooks for years. No one has complained about them except me. The tip rubs against my neck and I’ve tried many solutions without success other than resorting to the short tail.
I would put a post on it, but it must be very short to avoid the tip rubbing against my neck, and the resulting tight fit makes my ear red.
This is not caused by a rough tip because it is extensively polished.
I wonder if ear piercing professionals have alignment methods to prevent this situation?
Thanks you all for your informative responses to my enquiry! best wishes to all ! James from Marin, California.